Rolex’s Oscars ad continues tradition of the pop culture humblebrag

Disney sold out of all the advertising inventory for the Oscars broadcast on Sunday, and perhaps the biggest stand-out spot was from Rolex. The spot, “Every Hero Needs An Ally,” was a stylish compilation of Rolex appearances in such films as The Iron Claw, When We Were Young, and Argo, reminding us of its pop culture bona fides.

It’s a fun advertising device, and one that Rolex used at the Oscars back in 2017, when it spliced together wristwatch-related scenes from films including Marathon Man, Network, Titanic, Apocalypse Now, The Usual Suspects, and more.

Rolex isn’t alone in its creative use of past product placement. In August 2023, McDonald’s not only created an ad but a whole meal revolving around a similar humble brag, pointing out a laundry list of TV and movie appearances by, and mentions of, the brand by characters in Friends, The Office, Seinfeld, Space Jam, Coming to America, Loki, and many, many more. 

 

One of the first in recent memory to use movie- and TV-clip compilations for advertising benefit was Apple, with the first-ever iPhone ad, “Hello,” which ran during the Oscars in February 2007, featuring characters answering the phone. Apple repeated the tactic last month for the Vision Pro.

While Apple’s spots don’t quite qualify, the brand could certainly make a Pop Culture Humblebrag ad if it wanted to. In fact, perhaps it’s a surprise more major brands haven’t done it yet, with ample opportunity for booze, beer, soda, sneaker, and car brands to get in on the action.

Then again, these days, marketers seem to be less interested in advertising during the Oscars and more interested in creating content that could someday get them nominated for an Oscar themselves.